1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a liquid crystal display using, for example, liquid crystal of a VA mode, and a method of manufacturing the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, for example, a VA (vertical alignment) mode is used in liquid crystal display (LCD) devices. In the liquid crystal displays, a liquid crystal layer having the refractive index anisotropy is sealed between a substrate including a pixel electrode and a substrate including an opposite electrode, and a voltage is applied to the liquid crystal layer to change an axis of the refractive index anisotropy, thereby controlling the transmittance of light passing through the liquid crystal layer. In this manner, the liquid crystal display is a display device utilizing electrical stimulation for optical switching.
The liquid crystal display of the VA mode has such characteristics that the liquid crystal layer has the negative dielectric anisotropy, that is, in a liquid crystal molecule, the dielectric constant in a long axis direction is smaller than that in a short axis direction. Thereby, in the liquid crystal layer, the long axis direction of the liquid crystal molecule is aligned along the direction substantially vertical to a substrate surface when no voltage is applied thereto (an off state), and the liquid crystal molecule is aligned to tilt (incline) according to the magnitude of the voltage when the voltage is applied thereto (an on state).
However, when the voltage is applied to the liquid crystal layer in the no-voltage application state, the liquid crystal molecule aligned substantially vertical to the substrate surface tilts, but the tilting direction is arbitrary. Thus, the alignment of the liquid crystal molecules is disordered, and such adverse effects are generated that the response to the voltage is delayed, it is difficult to obtain a desired transmittance, or the like.
Thus, various proposals have been made so far as methods of controlling the alignment of the liquid crystal molecules when the liquid crystal molecules respond to the voltage. For example, an MVA (multi-domain vertical alignment) method, a PVA (patterned vertical alignment) method, or a method using an optical alignment film (for example, see Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. Hei-5-232473) has been proposed. In the PVA method, by using a slit and rib (projection), a high viewing angle is realized while the alignment is controlled. Recently, in addition to these methods, a structure in which a plurality of fine slits are provided in a pixel electrode, and an opposite electrode is formed as a solid electrode without slits (a so-called fine slit structure) has been proposed (for example, see Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2002-357830).